"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master
of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his
vineyard. When he had
agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent
them into his vineyard. He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the
marketplace. To them he
said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give
you.' So they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. About the eleventh
hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them,
'Why do you stand here all day idle?'
"They said to him, 'Because
no one has hired us.'
"He said to them, 'You also go into the
vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.' When evening had come, the lord
of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their
wages, beginning from the last to the first.'
"When those who were hired
at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. When the first came, they
supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a
denarius. When they
received it, they murmured against the master of the household, saying, 'These last have spent
one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of
the day and the scorching heat!'
"But he answered one of
them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a
denarius? Take that
which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just
as much as to you. Isn't
it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye
evil, because I am good?' So the last will be first, and
the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."